Operating-keys for adding and listing machines.



H. ELLIS. OPERATING KEYS PDR ADDING AND LISTING MAGHINBS.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 2l, 1910.

Patented June 24, 1913.

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HALCOLIVI ELLIS, OF EAS'I ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

OPERATING-KEYS FOR ADDING AND LISTING MACHINES.

1o all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HALcoLM Ennis, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Operating- Keys for Adding and Listing Machines, of which the following is aispecication.

This invention relates` to operating keys for adding and listing machines.

The present invention relates, more particularly, to that class of keys for adding and listing' machines which may properly be called operating keys because they control the performance of certain special functions in machines of that character, the invention being especially designed for use in connect-ion with the machine set forth in my British Patent No. 28253, of December 28, 1908, and in my co-pending application tiled December 80, 1908, Serial No. 470,108. The operating keys of the machine of that application are arranged in a row and are adapted for controlling the operations of releasing the number keys, for repeating, adding, nonadding, and the control of totals and subtotals of the two accumulating mechanisms forming part of that invention.

This invention is intended, more particularly, to provide novel keys and coperating mechanism whereby the number of t-he keys is decreased, thus minimizing the chances of the operator depressing the wrong key.

More especially is Vthe invention related to the mechanisms which control the taking of totals and sub-totals for the two accumulators, and I provide, in each instance, a single key which is adapted for operation in one direction to control the taking of a total for one of the accumulators and for operation in the opposite direction to control the taking of a sub-total for the same accumulator. Thus, with the present invention where four keys were heretofore employed, only two are necessary.

The present invention also contemplates the provision of mechanism whereby one of the keys is locked when the other is operated, thus rendering it impossible for the operator to inadvertently depress or move one of the said keys when he has already operated the other of them and this guards against confusion in the use of the two accumulators controlled by the said keys.

Another object of the invention is the provision of mechanism whereby on the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 21, 1910.

Patented J une 2a, 19l8.

serial No. 593,392.

operation of the machine in adding', after the depression of the adding key, the keys controlling the totals and sub-totals of the two accumulators are locked out so as to be incapable of operation.

One embodiment of the invention is set forth hereinafter and is disclosed in the accompanying drawing which is a detail view in side elevation showing so much of mechanisms associated with the parts constituting the present invention as will give a clear understanding of the construction and operation.

The operating keys project through the upper face of the machine casing in the manner shown in my British Patent No. 28253, of December 28, 1908, and in my aforesaid application Serial No. a7 0,108, tiled December 30, 1908, these keys, except those which represent, in part, this invention, being Kl, X62, H65, KGS, X69, said keys being, respectively, the release, repeat, upper accumulator adder, lower accumulator adder and non-adding keys, and it is unnecessary to set forth the connections for any of said keys, as they are all disclosed in my British Patent No. 28258, of December 28, 1908, and in my aforesaid application Serial No. 70,108, and, indeed, as the present invention is not restricted to use in connection with mechanisms such as set forth in my British Patent No. 28258, of Deceniber 28, 1908, and in my aforesaid co-pending application Serial No. 470,108, other operative connections could be used for the aforesaid keys and for the special keys forming part of the present invention.

Klet and KGS? represent, respectively, keys which are each adapted to control two functions of the machine, the former, the mechanism for taking a total or a sub-total ofthe upper accumulator, and the latter, the mechanism for taking a total or a sub-total of the lower accumulator. These keys are pivoted, respectively, at (SEMI and 657K. Their construction is substantially identical. Hey lo-3st is provided with a lateral stud, provided with an anti-friction roller, if desired, E163, and it also has a lug or shoulder' l6340 and a shoulder lGS-l. Preferably a slot or opening` is provided in the key, which is tlat, and this slot is so shaped to provide the said shoulder Kll, but the shoulder could be made on the side of the key or otherwise suitably disposed. i-"r coil spring iclds the key in normal upright position.

Suitably pivoted near their upper ends are levers 56L and L56 which are provided at their upper extremities with laterally eX- tending parts 156L and L156 adapted, respectively, to engage the shoulders K6340 and 1(6841 accordingl as the key K634 is moved in one direction o-r the other. These levers have their upper endspulled against the edges of the key by suitable springs so that they are ready to snap into engagement with the aforesaid shoulders when the key is moved. At 58L and GOL are pivoted levers shaped and arranged for coperation with pins or studs L18 and L19 on the lower ends of the levers 56L and L56 so that the mechanism controlling the upper accumulator will be set to enable a total or a subtotal to be taken from the upper accumulator on the operation of the handle of the machine, this mechanism being preferably that set forth in my British-Patent No. 28253, of December 28, 1908, and in my aforesaid application Serial No. 470,108, filed December so, 190s.

It will be understood that when the key K634 is moved to the left, the lug 156L will snap into engagement with the shoulder or lug H6340, thus accomplishing the movement of the part. 58L and locking the key in that position until released. Similarly, if the key K634 is moved toward the right, there will be no engagement of the lever 56L with the key, but the lugs L156 and K6341 will engage and the key will be locked in that position, such movement of the lever L56 causing operation of the lever 58L.

The key X667 is movable toward the left or right on its pivot 667 K, is held by a coil spring, and is provided with lugs or shoulders K6670 and K6671. The lower end of the key has a stud K166 which may be provided with a roller. Levers 560L and 11560, pivoted near their upper ends, are provided with shoulders or lugs 1560L and 111560, respectively, adapted to engage the shoulders K667 0 and K6671 and to lock the key, according as the key is moved to the left or right., suitable coil springs coacting with the levers to cause them to retain this engagement when it is made. The lower ends of the levers are provided wit-h studs or pins 5601L and 115601 which'are adapted to engage a lever L580 which controls the mechanism for the lower accumulator so that if the key K667 is moved in one direction, a total may be taken from the lower accumulator and if it is moved in the opposite direction, a sub-total may be takenr fro-m the lower accumulator. Thus in place of four keys, two for each accumulator, I provide two keys, each controlling the taking of totals and sub-totals from one of the accumulators.

Pivoted at 69D is a lever D69. Pivoted to this lever at D691 is a lock-out member D690 which is provided at its opposite ends with notches D692 and D693. The mouths of the notches are flanked by inclined or cam surfaces D694 and D695 and the inclines and notches are disposed for immediate coperation with the respective studs H163 and X166.

The handle shaft O1 of the machine carries a rocker plate D50 provided with a member D13 which is adapted to coperate with a suitably pivoted lever D60, in turn adapted to be tripped by a stud L23 von a pivoted lever L57, said lever being provided with a lug L57 0 adapted to engage the notch n of the key stem K65 when the latter is depressed. A suitable spring causes the lever L57 to snap into the notch n when the stem X65 is depressed, and such action of the lever causes such movement of the lever D60 that when the shaft O1 is turned by the handle of the machine, and the rocker plate D50 swings, the machine performs its operations through the intervention of mechanism not shown, but which is set forth in my aforesaid application Serial No. 470,108, tiled December 30, 1908.

The lever D69 is connected by a. spring to the lock-out member D690 so that the latter is normally held in the position shown in the drawing. The left hand end of lever D69 is normally held by a spring in engage.- ment with a stud or the like D501 on the rocker plate D50, but when the shaft O1 has been turned by the handle of the machine, the stud D501 disengages from the lever D69 and thereupon, the spring causes the lever to pull the lock-out member D690 downwardly, whereupon the studs 11166 and K168 are straddled by the notches D693 and D692 andthe keys K667 and K634 and mechanisms operated thereby are thus locked out, and consequently, it is impossible to set the said keys while the machine is going through its usual operation. If, for instance, it is desired to take a total from the upper accumulator, the key E634 is pulled toward the right, in doing which the stud K163 strikes against one of the cam surfaces D694, 'elevating the right-hand end of the lock-out lever D690 and causing the notch D693 to straddle the stud K166, thus locking out the key X667 so that the operator cannot inadvertently move that key. Similarly, if the key K634 is moved to the left to take a sub-total of the upper accumulator, the key K66 will be locked out. l1f the key K667 is moved toward the right to take a total from the lower accumulator, the lever D690 will be moved in a reverse direction to that set forth and the notch D692 will then straddle the stud E163 and lock out the key H634. Similarly, if the key K667 is moved to the left to take a sub-total from the lower accumulator, the lock out action will occur. If the key K665 is depressed and the handle is then operated, the release of t-he lever D69 from the stud D501 will cause the lock-out member D690 to engage both studs K166 and K163 and thus render it impossible to operate keys K653i and K667.

One or more shiftable releasing bars L66 provided with shoulders or projections L65, may be provided, suitably controlled for releasing the levers L56, 56L, L56() and 56OL for re-setting of the keys.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a key mechanism for adding and listing machines, the combination with a key movable in opposite directions, of independent, independently movable members, and engaging devices on the key and said members, whereby when the key is moved in one direction one of the said members is adapted to be set by the key and when moved in the opposite direction the other member is adapted to be set by said key.

2. In a key mechanism for adding and listing machines, the combination with a pivoted key movable in opposite directions from its normal point of rest, of pivoted independent, independently movable levers, and engaging devices carried by the key and the said levers so arranged and adapted that when the key is moved in one direction one of the levers will be set by the key and when moved in the opposite direction the other lever will be set by the key.

3. In a key mechanism for adding and listing machines, the combination of independent, independently movable keys each arranged for shitting in opposite directions from its point of rest, a plurality of operating members adapted for cooperation with each of the keys aforesaid and arranged for selective engagement with its key acco-rding to the direction in which the respective key is moved, and an interlocking device whereby when one of the keys is operated in either direction the other key will be locked against operation.

4. In a key mechanism for adding and list-ing machines, the combination of independent, independently movable pivoted keys, of operating means adapted for cooperation with the respective keys, and an interlocking device adapted for cooperation with said keys, whereby the key not operated is locked on the operation of the other key.

5. -In a key mechanism for adding and listing machines, the combination of independent, independently movable pivoted keys, of operating means adapted for cooperation with the respective keys, and an interlocking member pivoted intermediate its ends whose end parts are arranged for cooperation with the respective keys so that when one key is operated the other key is locked against operation.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto atliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HALCOLM ELLIS.

I/Vitnesses ISABEL NICHOLSON, CHAs. D. VVooLsnY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing; the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

